The Echo Chamber, April 2013 -
Harold Carp (Tyler Oser) is a
psychoanalyst who has become disillusioned with his work. Rather than seeing patients, he prefers to spend time in his
office making confetti with a hole-puncher. Although protected from the outside world by devoted secretary Audrey (Noelle
Micarelli), he has to see clients sometimes, but the task proves onerous - especially when encountering people like Ted (Chip
Miller) who imagines that he suffers from every single psychiatric disorder imaginable. In truth Ted is in love with
Harold, and treats each meeting as a tryst where he can pour out his heart and be guaranteed a sympathetic ear.
However things are soon to change
in Harold's life, as he encounters the mysterious presence Lena (Aimee McManus) who speaks a strange language and sprites
him away towards some paranormal encounters that he never expected might happen. The action also involves a ghost (Savannah
Crosby), suggesting that Harold's journey might be an internal one, exploring the recesses of his own tortured mind.
Described in the publicity as
Frasier meets Buffy, Dr. Carp makes some trenchant points about the consequences of psychoanalysis;
how it can reveal aspects of the human character that the individual might not want to know about. On the other hand,
it is also quite amusing, especially when Harold tries and fails to understand Lena's language. It's not only patients
and their therapists who have difficulty communicating. The cast perform the play with gusto; to date they have produced
five episodes, all of which are well worth a listen.
